Wednesday 3 December 2014 15:21, UK
It was a mixed bag for England after they finished their autumn international campaign with two wins and two defeats. Losses to New Zealand and South Africa highlighted England’s lack of attack and will be something to work on despite wins against Samoa and Australia.
Without the likes of Alex Corbisero, Dan Cole, Joe Launchbury and Tom Croft, England’s pack were certainly a positive but their backline still has plenty of work to do.
The introduction of George Ford at fly-half in the last two games against Samoa and Australia certainly made a difference to the way England used the amount of ball secured by their forwards. However, former England scrum-half Dewi Morris still has concerns over the centre partnership and says that Stuart Lancaster needs to give the likes of Ford and Kyle Eastmond a good run in the Six Nations.
“I hope George Ford will start in about 10 weeks’ time when England take on Wales in the Six Nations,” said Morris on SSN HQ.
Stuart Lancaster has riches galore in the front five but for me it’s who he picks at 10, 12 and 13 which will define his career.
“He adds that ability to unlock defences. His kicking out of hands was outstanding against Australia. I really hope that Stuart Lancaster starts him at 10 and I think he will really grow into the role – he deserves to start and I think you can build the problematic areas at 12 and 13 around him.
“I personally think that Owen Farrell should stay at playing 10 – I don’t see him as a centre for England. Manu Tuilagi will come back; you need game breakers; somebody to smash holes in defences and he does that. Hopefully he will be fit and raring to go.
“I would like Tuilagi to possibly move to 13 and have someone like Eastmond at 12 – I just think if Ford and Eastmond are playing 10 and 12 together would be great. I know you lose a slight kicking option there but the attacking options far outweigh that for me. I want Ford to stay at 10, put the will-o'-wisp, dancing feet Eastmond at 12 and then a big basher at 13. You can always move your 12 and 13 around.
“It has to be key to give a few players a run; I think Lancaster has to tinker a bit now. We know what Farrell and Brad Barritt can do, Barritt’s defence was absolutely phenomenal against Australia – he did a brilliant job of chopping down trees. The option is to leave these guys out and give Ford and Eastmond a run of games.
“I know Stuart Lancaster has a game plan and a strategy but sometimes you have to move that and change that game plan and I hope he does that. We have a plan A but we need a plan B and I hope we look to develop that in the Six Nations. Plan A does not work all the time so you need something else to unlock oppositions.
“Stuart Lancaster has riches galore in the front five but for me it’s who he picks at 10, 12 and 13 which will define his career.”
